“Oh?”

Celio rubbed his eyes, then looked again at the person standing at the end of the line, the person who was supposedly a “professor” of MW Academy.

“Isn’t that Ace, though?”

Although the man had shades on, Celio was almost certain he was the white-haired man he knew.

As he wondered how Ace ended up as one of the five professors, he caught the Principal turning him with a smile. The old man gave a subtle gesture, and Celio knew it was his turn to speak.

“Now, let us welcome our first-year representative to give a speech on behalf of all the incoming students this year!”

A round of applause followed, and Celio took that as his cue to go. He swerved past the stairs and toward the centre stage, a spotlight tailing his steps.

Crossing paths with the five professors, Celio glimpsed the white-haired man at the end as they passed shoulders. The latter did not reciprocate his action.

At least, he couldn’t tell from beneath the shades.

Pushing his questions aside, Celio found himself faced with hundreds of eyes, gazing at him. Some speculative, others in admiration.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, a dash of navy in the crowd caught his eye.

Master!

Celio’s face visibly brightened at the sight of a familiar dark-haired man. Although he’d seen Edris right before the Labyrinth pull, he didn’t think he’d actually come in as well!

Did Master enter for me? But how?

A thousand questions raced through his mind, and Celio grew emotional just thinking about the possibilities. At the same time, he noticed a boy with freckles standing beside the dark-haired man, leaning to whisper something in the latter’s ears. And from the looks of it…they seemed quite close?

Celio blinked twice.

Realising he’d been quiet for too long, the beast tamer sniffed indiscernibly, took a deep breath to compose himself, and opened his mouth again.

“Good morning, my fellow future classmates of MW Academy. It is a pleasure to be standing here today, as the representative of our year, speaking to you all…”

Thankfully, Celio was no stranger to public speaking. The Commander and his mother had trained him from a young age in all social situations, so it wasn’t too difficult to pull out a motivational script from the back of his mind.

The moment Celio finished his speech, the embedded screen in the corner of his vision brightened with a new message.

[INITIAL QUEST] has been completed!

Updating [PLAYER PROFILE] now…

This time, Celio didn’t allow the message to hold him back and promptly made his way down to the back, returning the stage to the Principal. He sat in a chair close to backstage, across from the five professors. Ace was sitting like the rest, as though oblivious to his presence.

As the Principal spoke, Celio tuned out and shifted his focus to his profile display. Two new sections had been added to the table—[AFFINITY] and [CARD SLOTS]. However, unlike the previous slots, both sections only came with the headers, and their content was still empty.

Celio’s eyes trailed to the bottom of the interface. Now that he had completed his initial quest, the original display had been replaced with [AWAITING MAIN QUEST UPDATE], followed by a countdown of just under twenty minutes.

The Principal spent the next ten minutes or so smearing honey on the academy; his way with words reminded Celio of store owners on the Adalan market who’d coerce him to purchase their products.

When Celio was about to zone out, however, what the Principal said next pulled him back to the present.

Not because it was any more interesting than the others, but because his next words were not only associated with MW Academy but also Labyrinth 53 itself.

“As you all know, we value our students and their opinions at MW Academy.” The Principal smiled. “However, to keep this harmonious learning environment, some rules must be implemented.”

As if reflecting his words, the glowing interface in front of Celio flickered, followed by a brand new table.

LABYRINTH #53: RULES & REGULATIONS

Celio wasn’t the only one who got the message. The same announcement had popped up simultaneously on all players’ screen displays as the Principal’s words reverberated across the auditorium.

When Edris first saw the new message, his first thought was not to view its content but skim those around him. From the reactions of his surroundings, the interface feature, engraved in one’s vision, was only available for “players,” those that the Labyrinth had pulled in.

Others native to the Labyrinth world could not see the interface nor any associated content. The freckled boy beside him, for example, posed no reaction to the messages continuously bouncing up in Edris’s face.

When put this way, the interface could be a method of distinguishing players from Labyrinth natives.

Now, if there was a way to see others’ profile content…

Edris withdrew his gaze, a glint in his eyes. He turned his attention back to the Principal as he announced the rules. Each verbal statement of the rule was transcribed into words on the players’ screen.

“To begin!” The Principal cleared his throat. “Fairness is an esteemed value of MW Academy! Cheating in any form of academic evaluation is strictly prohibited!

"If you are caught cheating once, you will enter [DETENTION] for a day; if you are caught cheating again, your parents will be notified of your misconduct; if you are caught cheating for the third time, MW Academy will be taking justified countermeasures.”

Detention?

Edris narrowed his eyes. His puzzlement was shared by the surrounding players. Some even released a couple of sneers under their breaths, obviously finding the situation ridiculous.

The Principal overlooked the various reactions, continuing down the list of rules.

“Harmony is a celebrated feature of MW Academy! But while we take pride in our diversity, we also avoid unnecessary distinctions among students to minimise conflict,” he said. “To keep a unified school atmosphere, uniforms must be worn at all times, recite the MW Anthem every morning, and immediately offer your prayers to Serenity at the sound of the music tower’s [BELL].

“During the student’s first two of three years at MW Academy, theoretical knowledge is a priority! No practices are sound without a strong foundation in theory. This is your time to hone your mental abilities and leave the practical executions for Year Three!

“Any use of individual talents—including but not limited to mana manipulation—outside from given settings of Labyrinth 53 are prohibited at all times.”

At the third rule, countless voices inundated the auditorium. Several “students’” expressions fell grave, while others glanced around, visibly confused.

Celio blinked at the unexpected rule. He immediately tried to draw out his mana, only to find out that he literally couldn’t. He attempted several times, and each was nullified by a foreign force that had forcibly severed his access to his mana channel.

Celio gulped.

No wonder the survival rate was so low.

It was one thing if mana usage was constrained within specific parameters, but a completely separate issue if it was nullified altogether.

Those who entered the Labyrinth with tokens tended to be either ranked Awakeneds or those highly experienced in combat. These people were usually hired by the kingdom factions to retrieve gemstones and other valuables. Naturally, they’d entered expecting to use their Awakened abilities to power through the potential dangers.

But within school-setting Labyrinth and with complete mana prohibition in place, their advantages might as well fall void.

Despite the rising anxiety in the auditorium, Edris was in a state of peace.

Naturally, he wasn’t fazed by the announcement. He couldn’t manipulate mana in the first place.

However, the Principal’s announcement did remind him of something else.

Edris reached past his collar, sliding his fingers across his collarbones. A smooth but solid texture pressed to his touch, and Edris blinked twice.

The Sacrificial Hourglass was still here.

He’d been so accustomed to wearing the sacred artifact that he forgot to check its presence upon entering the Labyrinth. Edris reached for his ear, feeling the intricate barbell earring on his left helix.

From the looks of it, although his clothes and all his belongings had been swapped upon entrance, the items he gained from his transactions with the Sacrificial Hourglass remained.

But if this was the case…

Disregarding the chaotic voices around him, Edris closed his eyes. He had to test something.

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

On the fifth second, his surroundings muffled. Then, all background noise was silenced at once.

A familiar, mechanical voice echoed in his head.

Give-and-take is a necessary cycle for equilibrium. Would you like to—

“No.”

…

Edris opened his eyes. After making sure he could still communicate with the Sacrificial Hourglass in the Labyrinth, he tucked the pendant back into his shirt as though nothing had happened.

Frankly, he didn’t know how to feel about this information.

Although access to the sacred artifact provided him with a “last resort” in dire situations, this also implied that the pedant, with its origins unknown, retained powers that reached beyond the Labyrinth’s jurisdictions.

The Principal was still talking, but students were no longer listening. Some glanced around while others fidgeted on the spot, growing restless.

Edris glanced at the countdown on the glowing display. Less than five minutes were left to complete the initial quest.

If his suspicions were correct, the time limit was likely the same for all players, at least when it came to the initial quest.

Evidently, he wasn’t the only one who had yet to complete the quest. Although the Labyrinth system didn’t spell out any punishments for failing to complete the initial quest on time, nobody dared to underestimate its potential consequences.

“Quiet down!” One of the professors, the one with a magenta bun, spoke into the diffusal orb, creating a high-pitched screech that dragged along the auditorium.

The chatters died down, but the anxiety stayed. The Principal took no notice of either as he smiled toward the audience.

“I know you are all excited to begin learning, but it is equally important to understand and obey our rules here at MW Academy.”

Following his words, the fourth rule appeared on the players’ screen display.

“Rule four: keep learning a priority and pointless entertainment to a minimum. Your quiz results will be published on the board to prompt co-growth between classes.

“Romantic relationships are prohibited between MW students! If you are caught engaging in such distracting behaviour, your parents will be notified immediately.”

…Ha?

Edris stared at the “Rules & Regulations” page, speechless.

Was his quest even achievable at this point?

Also, what parents?

It was at that moment.

A cool breeze brushed against his forehead, soon sweeping across the entire auditorium.

Snap.

Edris cast his gaze to the front, just in time to see an enormous scroll drop from the ceiling onto the stage, right behind where the Principal was standing.

It was a painting of a young woman with long curls and tanned skin, glowing under the stage’s spotlight.

"Who in the world…”

The auditorium fell silent, even more so than when the professor hushed them through the diffusal orb.

All eyes locked on the face on the painting, half mesmerized, other half dumbstruck.

“Woah… So cool.”

Someone mumbled under their breath.

Edris gave a sidelong glance at the freckled boy, who now stood with eyes wide and jaws dropped.

He didn’t have to guess to know that the ostentatious display was works of a player, likely the figure on the painting, related to her initial quest.

Edris glimpsed down at his interface. Less than two minutes were left of the countdown.

He took a deep breath.

“Dude… We have some crazy cool incoming students this year…” The freckled boy gulped, eyes still glued to the enormous portrait painting.

“Indeed.” Edris nodded, also turning to glance at the painting. “As expected from my unrequited love.”

The freckled boy whipped his head sideways at his words, staring at him in surprise. Edris gazed back, half-smiling.

Unrequited love.

Aside from the implicit requirements of being “bold and flashy,” as the freckled boy had asserted, the key to completing the initial quest lay within its wording.

Specifically, the word “unrequited.”

In Edris’s case, he must find someone who checked the boxes for both personality and one-sided love. His role in the Labyrinth was already someone obsessively in love, so Edris didn’t have to worry about his end.

The problem was the other side.

Edris couldn’t risk choosing a non-player, since there was a chance they—like the freckled boy, for example—knew the original owner of his role and were fond of him.

That said, his best option was to select a player like himself.

Edris’s initial choice was Ace after seeing him on stage. The Labyrinth had somehow assigned the white-haired man to be a professor, quite a useful asset in their given setting. It’d be much more convenient for them to interact under the eyes of others, if he were to use the pretence of being “in love.”

However, there was a problem. Edris wasn’t sure whether Ace would fulfil either of the two trait requirements, especially “bold’ as none of the professors showcased their personalities.

Indeed, this initial quest gave him various choices, but each required careful deliberations. After all, he wasn’t sure whether the quest gave second chances, either. It’d be problematic if he rashly chose someone and failed the Labyrinth altogether.

Thus, the best course of action would be to choose a player still, but someone who he was certain they were strangers.

With these thoughts in mind, Edris decided to take a risk and bet his chances on this flamboyant figure.

“She, she’s your unrequited love?” The freckled boy stared at him, dazed for a few seconds before something clicked in his mind as his eyes cleared with an epiphany. “Ah, you’re right. It is her! As expected from Edris…”

At that moment, a ting echoed in Edris’s ears as the screen in front of him flickered into a new message.

[INITIAL QUEST] has been completed!

Updating [PLAYER PROFILE] now…

Edris’s lips curled into a subtle smile.

Bingo.

The student portrait, hanging on steadily at centre stage, took three tries for the school caretakers to take down. The uproar caused by the intermission was starting to die down as well, but its culprit was nowhere to be seen.

The Principal, looking visibly disturbed for the first time today, wiped the sweat off his forehead and pulled down the orb stand.

He recited the final rule, his voice booming through the auditorium like a king’s decree.

“Life is valuable! MW Academy hopes to cultivate a loving environment; please do not engage in physical violence with one another. In the case of a conflict, notify a professor immediately!”

The moment the Principal finished his speech, each player’s interface was renewed with all five rules. Simultaneously, the countdown fell under the one-minute mark, and a new message popped up, spreading through the interfaces of all players present.

Edris skimmed its content, his gaze landing on the sentence at the very bottom of the countdown.

The next second, his blood ran cold.

Bold, black words faded onto the screen, spreading under the countdown like blots of ink.

TIME TO COMPLETE [INITIAL QUEST]:

00:00:00:56

NOTE: Failure to complete [INITIAL QUEST] results in failure to complete Labyrinth 53. As a result, the player will fully assimilate into their [ROLE].

The air in the auditorium froze as all became still.

Standing calmly under the spotlight, the Principal paid no attention to the shift in atmosphere as he cast his gaze toward the entire student body.

“This concludes the opening ceremony.” Placing a hand over his left chest pocket, he entered a slow, gentleman-like bow.

The next second, the corner of his sunken eyes creased downwards, wrinkles forming all over while his lips upturned, revealing all his teeth.

“Welcome to MW Academy.”